Fowler pulls away for four-shot victory
palm beach gardens, fla.» Rickie Fowler didn’t care about pretty. He cared about winning.
Staked to a four-shot lead, Fowler hit one putt into a sprinkler hole and a tee shot into the water. But when his lead was cut to one shot, Fowler answered with two big birdie putts to regain control and finished off a four-shot victory in the Honda Classic.
The bogey-bogey finish kept him from setting the 72-hole record at PGA National. That wasn’t important. At his feet was a crystal trophy, something he hasn’t owned in 13 months even as peers like Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy kept piling them up. It was Fowler’s turn Sunday.
“Whether I’m talked about with those guys or not, I just want to play the best that I can and keep pushing myself and ultimately, just keep trying to put myself in position to win and start collecting more of these,” Fowler said, tapping the trophy.
He closed with a 1-over-par 71 for a 12-under 268 and a four-shot victory over Gary Woodland, the only player to seriously challenge him, and Morgan Hoffmann.
Fowler faced the strongest wind of the week at PGA National, and he didn’t feel as though he had control of his swing the way he did all week. But the 28-year-old kid with fashion flair still has a knack for clutch moments, whether it was the 30-foot birdie putt on No. 8, or the two winning moments — a 40-foot birdie putt on No. 12, and a 25foot birdie putt on the 13th. This was more substance than style. “I didn’t play great,” Fowler said. “It wasn’t a pretty round. But we got the job done. A win is a win.”
Yang makes it 2-for-3 at Thailand LPGA
B chonburi, thailand» Amy Yang won the Thailand LPGA for the second time in three years, finishing with a 4-under 68 for a five-stroke victory.
Yang played the final five holes of the third round Sunday morning, completing a 65 to take a five-stroke advantage into the final round. The South Korean player has three LPGA Tour victories.
Yang finished at 22-under 266 on Siam Country Club’s Pattaya Old Course.
South Korea’s So Yeon Ryu was second after a 68.
Fichardt wins weather-battered Joburg
B johannesburg» South Africa’s Darren Fichardt won the rain-shortened Joburg Open, closing with a 4-under 68 for a onestroke victory over Wales’ Stuart Manley and England’s Paul Waring.
Fichardt rebouned from a bogey on 17 with a birdie on 18 to finish at 15 under at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club. Manley shot a 67, and Waring had a 69.
The top three earned spots in the British Open.